they'd gie me twa more awfu' aces； an' black marks for a month； at Heriot's。〃
V。
Word had been left at all the inns and carting offices about both markets for the tenant of Cauldbrae farm to call at Mr。 Traill's place for Bobby。 The man appeared Wednesday afternoon； driving a big Clydesdale horse to a stout farm cart。 The low…ceiled dining…room suddenly shrank about the big…boned； long legged hill man。 The fact embarrassed him； as did also a voice cultivated out of all proportion to town houses； by shouting to dogs and shepherds on windy shoulders of the Pentlands。
〃Hae ye got the dog wi' ye？〃
Mr。 Train pointed to Bobby； deep in a blissful； after dinner nap under the settle。
The farmer breathed a sigh of relief； sat at a table； and ate a frugal meal of bread and cheese。 As roughly dressed as Auld Jock； in a metal…buttoned greatcoat of hodden gray； a woolen bonnet； and the shepherd's twofold plaid； he was a different species of human being altogether。 A long； lean； sinewy man of early middle age； he had a smooth…shaven； bony jaw； far…seeing gray eyes under furzy brows； and a shock of auburn hair。 When he spoke； it was to give bits out of his own experience。
〃Thae terriers are usefu' eneugh on an ordinar' fairm an' i' the toon to keep awa' the vermin； but I wadna gie a twa…penny…bit for ane o' them on a sheep…fairm。 There's a wee lassie at Cauldbrae wha wants Bobby for a pet。 It wasna richt for Auld Jock to win 'im awa' frae the bairn。〃
Mr。 Traill's hand was lifted in rebuke。 〃Speak nae ill； man； Auld Jock's dead。〃
The farmer's ruddy face blanched and he dropped his knife。 〃He's no' buried so sane？〃
〃Ay； he's buried four days since in Greyfriars kirkyard； and Bobby has slept every night on the auld man's grave。〃
〃I'll juist tak' a leuk at the grave； moil； gin ye'll hae an ee on the dog。〃
Mr。 Traill cautioned him not to let the caretaker know that Bobby had continued to sleep in the kirkyard； after having been put out twice。 The farmer was back in ten minutes； with a canny face that defied reading。 He lighted his short Dublin pipe and smoked it out before he spoke again。
〃It's ower grand for a puir auld shepherd body to be buried i' Greyfriars。〃
〃No' so grand as heaven； I'm thinking。〃 Mr。 Traill's response was dry。
〃Ay； an' we're a' coontin' on gangin' there； but it's a prood thing to hae yer banes put awa' in Greyfriars； ance ye're through wi' 'em！〃
〃Nae doubt the gude auld man would rather be alive on the Pentland braes than dead in Greyfriars。〃
〃Ay；〃 the farmer admitted。 〃He was fair fond o' the hills； an' no' likin' the toon。 An'； moil； he was a wonder wi' the lambs。 He'd gang wi' a collie ower miles o' country in roarin' weather； an' he'd aye fetch the lost sheep hame。 The auld moil was nane so weel furnished i' the heid； but bairnies and beasts were unco' fond o' 'im。 It wasna his fau't that Bobby was aye at his heels。 The lassie wad 'a' been after'im； gin 'er mither had permeeted it。〃
Mr。 Traill asked him why he had let so valuable a man go； and the farmer replied at once that he was getting old and could no longer do the winter work。 To any but a Scotchman brought up near the sheep country this would have sounded hard； but Mr。 Traill knew that the farmers on the wild； tipped…up moors were themselves hard pressed to meet rent and taxes。 To keep a shepherd incapacitated by age and liable to lose a flock in a snow…storm； was to invite ruin。 And presently the man showed； unwittingly； how sweet a kernel the heart may lie under the shell of sordid necessity。
〃I didna ken the auld man was fair ill or he micht hae bided at the fairm an' tak'n 'is ain time to dee at 'is ease。〃
As Bobby unrolled and stretched to an awakening； the farmer got up； took him unaware and thrust him into a covered basket。 He had no intention of letting the little creature give him the slip again。 Bobby howled at the indignity； and struggled and tore at the stout wickerwork。 It went to Mr。 Traill's heart to hear him； and to see the gallant little dog so defenseless。 He talked to him through the latticed cover all the way out to the cart； telling him Auld Jock meant for him to go home。 At that beloved name； Bobby dropped to the bottom of the basket and cried in such a heartbroken way that tears stood in the landlord's eyes； and even the farmer confessed to a sudden 〃cauld in 'is heid。〃
〃I'd gie 'im to ye； mon； gin it wasna that the bit lassie wad greet her bonny een oot gin I didna fetch 'im hame。 Nae boot the bit tyke wad 'a' deed gin ye hadna fed 'im。〃
〃Eh； man； he'll no' bide with me； or I'd be bargaining for him。 And he'll no' be permitted to live in the kirkyard。 I know naething in this life more pitiful than a masterless； hameless dog。〃 And then； to delay the moment of parting with Bobby； who stopped crying and began to lick his hand in frantic appeal through a hole in the basket； Mr。 Traill asked how Bobby came by his name。
〃It was a leddy o' the neeborhood o' Swanston。 She cam' drivin' by Cauldbrae i' her bit cart wi' shaggy Shetlands to it an' stapped at the dairy for a drink o' buttermilk frae the kirn。 Syne she saw the sonsie puppy loupin' at Auld Jock's heels； bonny as a poodle； but mair knowin'。 The leddy gied me a poond note for 'im。 I put 'im up on the seat； an' she said that noo she had a smart Hieland groom to match 'er Hieland steeds； an' she flicked the ponies wi' 'er whup。 Syne the bit dog was on the airth an' flyin' awa' doon the road like the deil was after 'im。 An' the leddy lauched an' lauched； an' went awa' wi'oot 'im。 At the fut o' the brae she was still lauchin'； an' she ca'ed back： 'Gie 'im the name o' Bobby； gude mon。 He's left the plow…tail an's aff to Edinburgh to mak' his fame an' fortune。' I didna ken what the leddy meant。〃
〃Man； she meant he was like Bobby Burns。〃
Here was a literary flavor that gave added attraction to a man who sat at the feet of the Scottish muses。 The landlord sighed as he went back to the doorway； and he stood there listening to the clatter of the cart and rough…shod horse and to the mournful howling of the little dog； until the sounds died away in Forest Road。
Mr。 Traill would have been surprised to know； perhaps； that the confines of the city were scarcely passed before Bobby stopped protesting and grieving and settled down patiently to more profitable work。 A human being thus kidnapped and carried away would have been quite helpless。 But Bobby fitted his mop of a black muzzle into the largest hole of his wicker prison； and set his useful little nose to gathering news of his whereabouts。
If it should happen to a dog in this day to be taken from Ye Olde Greyfriars Dining…Rooms and carried southward out of Edinburgh there would be two miles or more of city and suburban streets to be traversed before coming to the open country。 But a half century or more ago one could stand at the upper gate of Greyfriars kirkyard or Heriot's Hospital grounds and look down a slope dotted with semi…rustic houses； a village or two and water…mills； and then cultivated farms； all the way to a stone…bridged burn and a toll…bar at the bottom of the valley。 This hillside was the ancient Burghmuir where King James of old gathered a great host of Scots to march and fight and perish on Flodden Field。
Bobby had not gone this way homeward before； and was puzzled by the smell of prosperous little shops； and by the park…like odors from college campuses to the east； and from the well…kept residence park of George Square。 But when the cart rattled across Lauriston Place he picked up the familiar scents of milk and wool from the cattle and sheep market； and then of cottage dooryards； of turned furrows and of farmsteads。
The earth wears ever a threefold garment of beauty。 The human person usually manages to miss nearly everything but the appearance of things。 A few of us are so fortunate as to have ears attuned to the harmonies woven on the wind by trees and birds and water； but the tricky weft of odors that lies closest of all； enfolding the very bosom of the earth； escapes us。 A little dog； traveling with his nose low； lives in another stratum of the world； and experiences other pleasures than his master。 He has excitements that he does his best to share； and that send him flying in pursuit of phantom clues。
From the top of the Burghmuir it was easy going to Bobby。 The snow had gone off in a thaw； releasing a multitude of autumnal aromas。 There was a smell of birch and beech buds sealed up in gum； of berries clotted on the rowan…trees； and of balsam and spice from plantations of Highland firs and larches。 The babbling water of the burn was scented with the dead bracken of glens down which it foamed。 Even the leafless hedges had their woody odors； and stone dykes their musty smell of decaying mosses and lichens。
Bobby knew the pause at the toll…bar in the valley； and the mixed odors of many passing horses and men； there。 He knew the smells of poultry and cheese at a dairy…farm； of hunting dogs and riding…leathers at a sportsman's trysting inn； and of grist and polluted water at a mill。 And after passing the hilltop toll…bar of Fairmilehead； dipping across a narrow valley and rounding the base of a sentinel peak； many tame odors were left behind。 At the bu